Sorting and classifying mechanism



Oct. 24, 1933. WRIGHT 1,931,785

SORTING AND CLASSIFYING MECHANISM Filed March 26, 1931 Fig.1.

58 57 56 39 2 46 45 47 63 Fig.4.

| GRA 1 7 32 Iw I 37 InvenToT: 32 Harold A.Wrigh'f byMMIM V ATTys.

Patented Oct. 24, 1933 ATE T F ICE- f UNITED tsrA'rE SORTING AND.

CLASSIFYING! MECHANISM HaroldA. Wright, Newtonville, assignm- Uto Multisort Company, Boston,'Mass., a partner-ship composed of Harold A. Wright and Arthur W. Brooks Application March 126, 1931. Serial no. 525,348 12 Cla.ims. (or. 129- 15) This invention relates to improvements in" in inclined superposition upon a base or body, with their outer free ends'in stepped relation,

and their lower ends pivotally secured to the base as to permit more or less pivotal movement 15 of the tabs or leaves to permit the articles to be sorted to be introduced into pockets formed by adjacent leaves.

The tabs or leaves are usually made of fibre board which is relatively stiff sothat by grasping the free ends of one of the tabs, which 'ordinarily is provided with a label, it and'the tabs which are superimposed thereupon may be raised to an angular position to permit the introduction of an article into the pocket between the tab thus raised and the one therebeneath,

These fibre board tabs, if bent too abruptly, inadvertently, or bent over a relatively thick article, are likely to crack, thereby permitting the same to crack intermediate of its length,-sothat when raisedin the manner-above described the broken tab will buckle along the line of break against the tab next beneath, thereby limiting the depth of the pocket. and will also shorten, by' reason of such buckling, so that the end will slip out of the hand of the operator, or-in any event will interferewith the proper lifting of .the container and the carriage, and also operable the tabs which are superimposed thereupon.

Replacement of such tabs in usual forms of" construction is diflicult or quite impossible One 40 of the objects of the present invention is to provide a sorting and classifying device of the character described in which" thetabs may be readily removed and replaced.

A further and very important object of the invention is to provide a construction which, by

the removability of the tabs, will permit the en-' largement of the pockets between adjacent tabs to receive a larger number of articles, or articles of greater thickness. I i

A further object ofthe-invention is to provide a pivotal connection betweenthe tabs and the base which is beyond the outside of the tabs and which will insure better alinement of the tabs and eflectively prevent lateral displace- 56 ment of the: tabs'relatively to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pivotal connection for the lower end ofv the tabs to the base which will avoid the possibility of papers being caught or torn by engagement therewith.

' 0 Another object of the invention is to provide v a device of the character above described with tabs formed of resilient fibrous materialjfolded centrally to prevent looped outer ends adapted to be engaged by avsuitable label holder, with pivotal means for securing the lower ends of the sections of the tabs to the base.

Another 'feature of the invention consists in the provision of a removable, relatively rigid, toe piece adapted to underlie the lowermost 1o 1 tab, whereby it may be employed to support the tabs'in a more steeply inclined relation to the body of. the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pivotally mounted support adapted to lie upon the uppermost-tab and tobeswung to a position beyond the vertical and thereby to support the tabs in approximately vertical position so that articles can be more readily removed from thepockets by reason of the fact 30 that the weight of superimposed tabs is substantially removed from each underlying tab and the articles contained therein.

v A further object of the invention is toprovide a sorting machine in which the container having the tabs thereupon is,removably supported by a reciprocable carriage, the bottom of the'container and the upper face of the carriage being desirably provided with cushioning devices of frictional material adapted to prevent relative longitudinal movement between to "absorb jars, thereby minimizing the noise A further object of the invention is to provide a base for the carriage having means to guide the wheels of the carriage during the longitudinal reciprocation thereof in such manner as: not only toavoid binding, 'butabrasion of the sides of the cariage .with the. base and consequent noise caused thereby.y

A further object of the invention is to provide a container with means for detachably supporting laterally extending wings, preferably in substantially the plane of the upper edges of the container, to'support relatively long articles which maybe inserted into the pockets between the tabs. Wings of different widths may thus be supported upon the container complementary 110 to the length of the longest articles to be sorted and thus avoid the possibility of long articles from sliding out of the pockets during the classifying operation, or during transportation of the container from one place to another as frequently occurs when the device is used for filing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sorting and classifying device of the character specified with tabs provided at their outer ends with a holder of resilient sheet metal presenting a substantially cylindrical closure for the ends of the tabs which will permit the articles to be sorted to be slipped into the pockets between the tabs without the necessityof rais-.

ing the tabs which will enable the operator more readily to grasp the ends of the tabs when they are to be raised, and which will present a smooth surface which will not score nor tear the articles inserted into the pockets, cut or abrade the fingers of the operator, orsnag her sleeve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tab having a folded end with a label holder presenting a window through which the label can be observed and which will grasp the tab beneath the'fold in such manner as rigdily to hold the label holder upon the tab.

Another object of the invention is to provide a label holder of the character above described which can be readily assembled upon the tab by being applied 'at a corner of the tab and slipped longitudinally to embrace the fold thereof or removed therefrom by a reverse operation. 1

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of classifying or sorting machine embodying the invention; a

Fig. 2-is a view in transverse section through the container, the carriage and the base, and showing the pivotal connection of the tabs to the side walls of the container;

Fig; 3 is a view showing the base, the carriage and the container partially in elevation,

and partially invertical longitudinal section, the tabs and the end support thereof being shown in vertical section and in rearwardly in-v clined position, the tabs being broken away near the lower ends thereof, it being understood I that the upper ends of the tabs will be in con tact with each other;

.Fig. 4 is a detail broken view of one of the tabs illustrating particularly the pivotal connection for the lower end of the tab and the label holder at the upper end thereof;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the tabs and one pf'the pivotal connections therefor and also illustrating a vertical sectional view of the label holder affixed to the upper end portion of the tab, the central portion of the tab being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating a sub-tab and the manner in which it is secured to one of the main tabs; and,

Fig. '7 is a detail view in perspective illustrating a plate for securing the sub-tab to a main tab and showing the manner in which the subtab is secured to the plate.

a thick article is introduced into one of the pockets.

The container, which is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a rigid body 1, preferably of wood, having secured thereto sheet-metal sides 2 extending above the upper surface of the body 1', and provided with equally spaced pairs of sockets to receive the pivots of the tabs. Preferably rigid sheet-metal plates 3 are secured to the outer faces of the side plates 2 and extend from the bottom thereof upwardly approximately to the centers, of the sockets in the side plates 2 and are then bent outwardly and inwardly to provide shelves. 4 with a space between the folds into which a member of a relatively wide wing may be releasably secured.

Either or both of the shelves 4 maybe pro-- vided with a wing 5 of any desired width. As illustrated herein, the wing 5 is of sheet-metal and is provided with a folded edge 6 adapted to enter and to fit the space between the folds of the shelves 4. .lnasmuch as the space between the folds of the shelf 4 are open at the end, the fold 6 of the wing may he slid longitudinally into such space and will thereupon be held firm ly therein. Desirably the upper surface of the wing 5 is substantially in the plane of the upper edges of the side members 2, so that the lower edge of articles introduced into. the pockets will lie upon. the wing or wings and be supported thereby.

The tabs, as heretofore stated, are pivotally mounted upon the side plates 2 and 3 of the container and cooperating releasable means are provided to permit the tabs to be readily assembled upon the container, removed therefrom, or replaced therein.

Any suitable means may be provided for accomplishing this purpose and it will be understood that the particular construction shown in the drawing is illustrative and not restrictive of such releasable pivotal connection. Tabs of any suitable material, either of single or multiple thickness, may be employed. Desirably,

however, tabs of fibre board, or the like, are

employed which, as illustrated in Figs. 5, and 6, are folded centrally .of their length to provide a loop '7, the sections 8 and 9 extending downwardly from the loop being secured to the releasable pivotal connection, and the label holder secured to the looped end of the tab.

The preferred pivotal means for securing the lower end of the sections of the tab together, which is illustrated herein, comprises a sheet metal plate 10 of a length substantially equal to the width of the tab and having relatively narrow extensions 11, preferably two in number,' which pass through the sections 8 and 9 of the tab and are then bent against the opposite face of the tab section 9. The lower end of the plate 10 is bent into substantially cylindrical form to 143 form a casing 12 to receive the pivot member' or members, the extensions 11 desirably being of such length as to be engaged by the edge 13 of the cylindrical portion of the plate 10.

The pivotal members desirably are cylindrical studs or pins 14 and I5-mounted in and projecting from the ends of the cylindrical casing 12.

One of the pins, 15, is rigidlysecured in the. casing preferably by indenting the wallof the casing into a suitable hole or.. depression 16 in Figs. 5 and 2), extends into the slot. The slot 17 is of sufficient length to permit the. pin or stud 14 to be retracted until its end is flush with or within the-end of the cylinder and of suflicient length to permit the end of the pin, to be projected through an aperture in the side 7 Wall 2.. The pin or stud 14 is normally held in extended position by a spring 19 abutting .at

its opposite ends upon the inner ends of the,

studs or pins 14 and 15. The outer ends of the pins 14 when in assembled position, illustrated in Fig. 2, desirably abut against the plate 3. b

By reason of this construction a tab can be readily assembled upon the-container by .inserting the pin 14 into one of a pair of apertures in the side walls 2, then forcing the tab laterally to compress the spring 19 until the end ofthe pin 15 will pass down the inside of the side plate 2 into registry with the aperture therein,

'at which time the tab maybe released to permit thep'in 15 to enter theiaperture. The tab may be removed in a similar manner by forcing the tab laterally, to the right, as illustrated in Fig. 2, until the sleeve is moved sufficiently along the pin 14 to withdraw the end of the pin 15 from its aperture, thereby permitting the side illustrated herein and which forms an essential part' of the tab,lcomprises a sheet-metal plate 20 having a window opening 21 which may extend nearly the fulllength of the tab and which is folded inwardly to provide a rear wall 22 spaced apart from the window portion of the plate eufficiently to form a holder for the label 23 and for a sheet'of transparent material 24,

such as celluloid, interposed between the label 26 merging into a flat portion 27 which lies against the face of the section 9 of the tab and in cooperation with the bent end portion 25 bites or grips the loop in such a manner that the label holder cannot be removed from the tab without the application of very considerable .force.

The label holder can be readily applied by inserting the edge of thetab sections 8 and 9 between a lower corner of the plate 27 and readily grasped by the fingers of the operator 31, may be inserted between the plate 10 of the .to the pocket withoutthe necessity of raising the tab, and those superimposed upon it, there by greatly facilitating the speed with which the sorting and classifying may be accomplished. Furthermore, this cylindrical end portion presents asufliciently large curved surface to be and over which the operators fingers will slip smoothly as the tabs are raised to permit the introduction of the articles into the pocket. Furthermore, the eylindricalportion of the label holder presents .no abrupt surface which will abrade the tab upon which it lies, thereby avoiding scoring and injury to the tabs.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a -sub-tab adapted to be applied to and supported. by i one. of the regular tabs of the device. A preferred 'subj-tabl construction is illustrated in Fig. 69.5 applied to a main tab. In this constructio'nthe sub-tab is constructed of .a sheet of fibrous material bent centrally to provide a loop 28'jwithj sections 29 and 30 extending downwardly therefrom. .These sections are united togethenby a plate 31, ,(see Fig. '7), which lies against' the surface of the rear section 30 and whi'ch is secured to the'end portions of the tab sections 29 and 30 by cut-out portions 32 and 33 of theplate bent upwardly -against the front of the base ofthe tabsection 29 with inwardly bent end portions 34 and 35 extending through both sections either against the plate 31 or into suitable slots therein The cut-out sections 32 and '33 desirably are of slightly greater width than the extensions 11 of the pivot-supporting member of the main'tab, so that the" portions 36, 37,. and 38, of the plate main tab and the face of the section 8 of the tab. Inasmuch as the plate 31 may be of thin "metal, the sub-tab may be easily attached to a main tab. The sub -tab 'desirably'is provided at .its opposite end with a label holder of the character above described and the sub-tab desirably is of such shorter length that its label holder lies just below the label hOldBLOI the main tab, as'illustrated in Fig. 6. v r I The space betweenthe sub-tab and the main tab likewise provides a pocket toreceive articles of a subdivision of those contained'in the pocket, the wall of which is formed by thefmain tab.

The use of such sub-tabs therefore is of great value in subdividing a group of articles relat 135,

ing to the same general subject matter.

In the preferred construction of the container one or both of the side ,walls 2 desirably is bent around theend of the body 1 to provideend walls with their upper edges flvsli'with the upper edges of the sidewalls. I

Desirably a sheet of frictional, 'and preferably resilient, material'39 is secured to the under face of the body and extends 'up'wardly" therefrom over the end walls and-is secured at its ends 40 to the inner fa'ce ofthe end walls. 1

Desirably a protecting and supp'ortingplate 41 is superimposed upon the uppermost tab and is connected by releasable pivotal means of the character above described to the, first pair of apertures in the side plates. Normally the plate 41 may lie in superposition upon the uppermost tab, as shown in Fig. l, or may be swung to a' position beyond the vertical, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and supported in such inclined position by engagement with the end wall of the container. The opposite end wall of the container retain the series of tabs in more steeply inclined relation to the upper surface of the body 1 than when the toe piece is omitted. This increased inclination is valuable in certain types of sorting and classifying work.

. The sorting and classifying device above described may rest upon a suitable stationary support, such asa table or ledge, but preferably is re'movably supported by atravelling carriage.

As illustrated in Figs. Zand 3, the container is supported upon a sheet-metal channel-shaped carriage frame 45, theupper face of which desirably has secured to it a layer 46 of frictional and resilient material, such as rubber, adapted to be engaged by the frictional and resilient cover or layer 39 upon the under face of the body 1. The side walls v47 of the carriage preferably have secured to them, by'spot-weldingor otherwise, L-shaped plates 48 having laterally extending studs, 49 upon which wheels 50 are mounted. The wheels 50 are located at such predetermined distances from the ends of the carriage as to permit the carriage to travel a considerable distance along a suitable track.

Desirably ball-bearings 51 are interposed between the studs 49 and the wheels 50. The wheels 50 may, if desired, be provided with a suitable tire, such as rubber, or if desired the wheels may be of hard fibrous material or the like adapted to reduce the noise of operation. A suitable track for the wheels is provided. As illustrated herein the track member is of sheet-material comprising a flat base 52 having upwardly extending sides presenting a lower outwardly inclined portion 53, an upper inwardly inclined portion 54, and a flange 55 overlying the wheels. Suitable guides desirably are provided in proximity to the path of the inner face of the wheel to prevent lateral movement of the carriage as it is reciprocated longitudinally.

In the construction illustrated herein the guiding device comprises a sheet-metal plate 56 which is secured to the upper face of the base 52 with the edge portions 57 of its sides folded inwardly to provide longitudinally extending curved edges lyingclosely adjacent and at such height above the tread of the wheels as to prevent lateral movement of the wheels as the carriage is reciprocated along the track. Stops desuitable material. The stops 60 lie in the paths of the outwardly extending flanges 62 of the L-shaped plates 48 to which the studs 49, forming the axles of the wheels, are secured.

The under surface of the base 52 desirably has secured to it a pad 63, of rubber, or other resilient and frictional material, adapted so to engage a table, or other supporting device, as to prevent longitudinal movement of the base as the carriage and its container are reciprocated therein. The machine is therefore, portable and can be placed upon any table or other suitable and convenient support.

When in use one or more of the containers, either alone or supported upon the carriage and base as above described, are placed at the side of the operator. The articles to be sorted and classified are then placed either in front of the container, if it is a short one and stationary, or upon a suitable table or ledge in front of the operator. Each piece to be sorted isthen grasped by the operator who glances at the article and determines the pocket of the container into which it should be inserted. If the piece is relatively thin and stiff, as a card, envelope, or stiff paper, it may be cut into the desired pocket beneath a selected tab without raising the tab. If it is relatively thick, the tab will be grasped by the hand of the operator, as illustrated in Fig. l, and raised sufficiently to permit the introduction of the article into the required pocket. If the container is relatively long, it desirably is mountedupon a' carriage reciprocable upon a base of the character above described, so that by moving the carriage forward or backward, the desired tab can be readily placed by the operator in a position to be conveniently lifted for the introduction of the article to be classified. As the articles are placed in the pockets between the tabs and the tabs released, the weight of the superimposed tabs grips the articles with sufficient force to hold them securely in the container, so that when a desired number of articles has been sorted the container may be lifted or removed from the carriage and transported to the file into which the articles are to be distributed from it. j

The flexibility of the'tabs and the weight of the labeled ends thereof increases thegripping action of the tabs .as the tabs will bend over the articles in the pocket in a manner graphically illustrated in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to remove the articles from the container, the tabs may be swung slightly beyond vertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, thereby relieving the weight of the tabs upon the articles in the pockets and permitting the articles to be readily removed from the pockets without the necessity of separating the tabs forming the walls of the pockets from each other.-

This greatly facilitates the unloading of the carrier.

Sorting devices of this character may be used singly or in multiple, in the latter case being placed either upon one side of the operator at different elevations, or upon both sides of the operator singly or in multiple.

It will be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive, and that various changes in form, con: struction and arrangement, of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the followins claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed'as newfa'nd desired to be secured by Letters. Patent, is: p

1. A sorting and classifying device comprising a portable container having a rigid rectangular wooden body, vertical parallel side walls secured thereto and projecting above said body, and provided with uniformly spaced pairs of sockets in the upwardly projecting walls, a series of tabs assembled on said body to lie normally in inclined superposition with their free upper ends in stepped relation, each tab having at its lower end pivotal members to engage a pair of said sockets with resilient means permitting one of said pivotal members to yield axially,'whereby the tab may be readily assembled upon said body or removed or replaced.

2. A sorting and classifying device comprising a portable container having a rigid rectangular wooden body, vertical parallel side walls se-' cured thereto and projecting above said body, and provided with uniformly spaced pairs of sockets in the upwardly projecting walls, a series -of tabs assembled on said body to lie normally superposition with their free' upper ends in steppfid relation, means including yieldable pivotal members connecting the lower ends of the respective tabs to said body operable to permit the individual tabs to be readily assembled upon said body or to be removed or replaced, and a rigid sheet metal toe piece underlying the lowermost tab and having a downwardly bent outer end portion upwardly curved at its terminus engaging said body and operable to increase the angle of inclination of said tabs relatively to the plane of said body.

4. A sorting and classifying device comprising a container having a rigid body, a series of tabs assembled thereupon to lie normally in inclined respective tabs to said body operable" to permit the individual tabs to be readily assembled upon said body or to be removed or replaced, and a rigid sheet-metal retainer superimposed upon the uppermost tab having a releasable pivotal connection to said body, and an abutment for said tab operable to retain the same in a steeply inclined position relatively to the base when swung beyond the vertical, whereby the tabs may be supported in approximately vertical position to permit easy removal of articles .contained in the pockets between the tabs.

5. A sorting and classifying device comprising a container having a long narrow rigid body provided with vertical side walls having uniformly spaced pairs of sockets, a series of tabs assembled upon said body to lie in inclined superposition with their free ends in stepped relation, pivotal means connecting the lower end of each tab to a pair of sockets and side plates secured to said side walls extending longitudinally thereof having wing-supporting means and wings supported thereby in ,approximately the plane of the upper edges of said side walls. p

6. A sorting and classifying device compris ing a container having a long narrow rigid body provided with vertical side walls having uniformly spaced pairs of sockets, a series of tabs assembledupon said body to lie in inclined superposition with their free ends in stepped relation, pivotal means connecting the lower end of each tab to a pair of sockets and side plates secured tosaid side walls extending longitudinally thereof having laterally extending flanges reversely folded to provide wing-holding channels, and arelatively wide winghaving a folded edge adapted to be introduced into said channel and retained thereby. 1

7. A pivotal tab for a sorting and classifying machine comprising a strip of thin resilient material, a pivot-supporting member secured thereto comprising a narrow plate engaging the lowtion, and means mounted, in said'cylindrical portion and extending beyond the ends thereof and forming a pivotal support for the tab.

8. A pivotal'tab for a sorting and classifying machine comprising a strip of thin resilient fibrous material folded centrally to, present a looped end, a pivot-supporting member secured to the free ends of said strip comprising a narrow plate engaging the lower face of one section of said tab and bent to form a substantially cylindrical portion extending beneath the end of said tab, narrow integral extensions projecting from the upper edge of said plate pass ing through .both sections of said tab and bent back against the outer face of the other section of said tab, and terminating in proximity to said' cylindrical portion, pivotal means mounted in said cylindrical portion and extendingbeyond the ends thereof including a sliding member, and yieldable means for maintaining the same in extended position. i i

9. A pivotal tab for a sorting and classifying machine comprising a strip of thin resilient ma terial, a pivot-supporting member secured thereto comprising a narrow plate engaging the lower portion of the face of said tab and bent to form a substantially cylindrical portion located below the end of the tab, narrow integral extensions projecting from the upper edge of said plate passing through said tab and bent back against the opposite face thereof and extending along said face into proximity to said cylindrical portion, pivotal means mounted in 'said cylindrical portion and extending beyond to the pivotal supporting plate of a main tab.

11. A sorting and classifying device comprising a container having a rigid body, a series of tabs assembled thereupon to lie in inclined superposition with the free upper ends thereof in stepped relation, means pivotally connecting the lower ends of said tabs to said body in-" eluding a narrow plate engaging the lower portion of each tab, 9. sub-tab or tabs of shorter length than the tabs of said series, and a plate secured to the lower end of each sub-tab having extensions adapted-to be inserted beneath the pivotal supporting plate of a tab of said series between the extensions of said plate which extend through said tab.

12. A sorting and classifying ing a container having a rigid body, a series of tabs assembled thereupon to lie in inclined superposition with their, upperends in stepped device comprisrelation, each tab comprising a strip folded centrally to present a looped portion, means pivotally securing the lower ends of the sections of said tab to the body, and a label-holder secured to the folded end of said strip comprising a plate of resilient sheet-metal having a window-opening, and infolded beneath said window-opening to provide a label-holding pocket with the end of said folded portion engaging the loop of said tab, the opposite end portion of said plate being folded to present a substantially cylindrical portion enclosing the end of the tab, with the end portion of said plate folded against the rear surface of the tab, and operable in connection with the opposite infolded end portion of the plate to grip the loop of the tab.

HAROLD A, WRIGHT. 

